President Obama Responds to Zimmerman Verdict

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President Obama Responds to Zimmerman Verdict

WASHINGTON, DC (CNN) — President Barack Obama said on Sunday the “death of Trayvon Martin was a tragedy” for America and acknowledged the case has generated strong passions.

“But we are a nation of laws, and a jury has spoken. I now ask every American to respect the call for calm reflection from two parents who lost their young son,” he said in a statement following Saturday night’s acquittal of Zimmerman in Martin’s 2012 shooting death.

He also said Americans should “ask ourselves if we’re doing all we can to widen the circle of compassion and understanding in our own communities. We should ask ourselves if we’re doing all we can to stem the tide of gun violence that claims too many lives across this country on a daily basis.

“We should ask ourselves, as individuals and as a society, how we can prevent future tragedies like this. As citizens, that’s a job for all of us. That’s the way to honor Trayvon Martin,” Obama said.